This is an exceptionally well written biography of perhaps the greatest scientific genius in human history.Clark superbly conveys the story of Einstein`s journey through physics,the world wars & Zionism.Be warned,though:the book`s encyclopedic nature & voluminous content ensures that reading it till the end is pie in the sky for people who are not used to heavy reading & deep contemplation on the topics discussed.

This is probably the most widely read biography on Einstein and with good reason: the author does a fine job of detailing the life of the man who pretty much dominated 20th century physics. It is a cliche now to say that his theories changed the way physicists think about the natural world, and his demeanor and politics continue to be the rage in so-called popular culture. Young students of physics usually get their first taste of advanced mathematical formalism when being introduced to his general theory of relativity, and the author, even though he is not a physics educator, actually does a decent job of explaining the concepts that Einstein was responsible for in his life work. The author does not leave out the politics of the man who continues to be known for his Zionism, and the reader will finish the book with an appreciation of the complexity of his thinking and his personal adherences to this point of view. Some readers may be perplexed on his associaton with the mustard gas researchers Walther Nernst and Fritz Haber, but put in context, as the author does with clarity, readers will see the reasons for this along with Einstein's commitment to the development of atomic weapons.

The author also conveys the excitement surrounding the experimental confirmation of some of Einstein's theories, particularly the photoelectric effect and the bending of the light around the Sun. In addition, the reader can appreciate more the concern among many physicists at the time of Einstein's use of "high-brow" mathematics in general theory of relativity. Now of course, such concern has definitely subsided, for today's theories of gravitation are laden with highly estoric constructions from mathematics. Einstein, as the author notes, was very young when he developed his theories. Modern theories of gravitation, such as superstring and M-theories require such a high level of mathematics that physicists who make contributions in these theories generally spend many years obtaining this background. It is interesting to reflect on how Einstein would have reacted to these theories and elementary particles physics. It is also interesting to ask whether Einstein's politics would be the same if he were alive today, given the current situation in the Middle East. In addition, computers were not available to Einstein in the way there are now to all physicists. Would Einstein have taken to computers? To computational physics? His general theory of relativity is now one of the main applications of high performance computing and symbolic programming.

This gem is not only well-researched and clearly written; it is a deeply moving overview of the life of the world's greatest scientist, not just as a theoretical physicist, but as a human being struggling to be true to himself in trying times.

Although Clark does explain a bit about special and general relativity, he does so only to aid one's understanding of why Einstein's contributions were so crucial. You will see Einstein as a curious boy, as a troubled student, as a young man making his way in the world, and then as a post office clerk who worked on physics when his bosses weren't looking.

You will see the tide slowly turn as physicists of his day began to take this uncredentialled but highly original thinker seriously. And then the day dawns when an experiment proves that gravity indeed bends light....and Einstein wakes up famous.

The book is also full of those charming anecdotes one loves to hear about Einstein, ever the absent-minded professor and "dropper of conversational bricks," such as the performance in which, armed with a violin but off rhythm, the greatest living physicist is chided by the director: "Einstein, can't you count?"

What comes through best is Einstein as a great-hearted and humble man who wanted "to know God's thoughts"; a man of conscience troubled by the wars and other injustices of his time and (unlike most of us) actively trying to do something productive about them; and most of all, a profound man whose central mood, known to every child but never to be outgrown in the inwardly alive adult, was his loving awe of the unknown.

Lewis and Clark's descriptions of their epic overland journey is a deserved American classic. So many students must memorize the Gettysburg Address or the Preamble of the Constitution, but too few are ever introduced to this magnificent trilogy, told in Lewis and Clark's own words. They were the first white men to lay eyes on the interior sections of the Unites States, when the land was unspoiled, unpolluted and obviously quite spectacular. In great detail, they relate their indescribable amazement to see giant Sequoia trees, grizzly bears and endless miles of barren desert.

Lewis and Clark's experiences are the stuff of legend, but the question that begs to be answered is: could they write? The answer is a resounding yes! The narrative flows smoothly, the descriptions of the animals and landscape come alive with their vivid use of language and metaphor. Perhaps the most vivid sections of the book revolve around their numerous encounters with Native Americans. This book should be required reading for anyone with an history in the history and exploration of the United States.

Before breaking camp in Fort Clatsop, the expedition had hoped to encounter British traders who ply the coasts, in order to buy provisions and ammunition with "their ample letters of credit." These were drawn on the Executive office of the United States, in other words Jefferson, who after getting $2,500 from Congress to finance, he seemed prepared to bring them back to Washington at any costs, including circumnavigating taxi if need be (this is no joke).

However, the waiting for the traders delays them from their start, and their hopes of returning to St Louis during the season are as warm and finally decisive as their previous push to the West. They break camp, return up the Columbia River, and with Sacajawea's vital help, find their way over the mountains where the snows are so thick that trails are impossible to discover. Thankfully the expedition resumes the Missouri, and after averaging 20 miles a day on the ascent (using oar and sail), they frequently make 80 miles a day on the descent.

After such a long and harrowing journey, full of hardships and decorated with delights, the men are anxious to press for home, sometimes not landing for rest or game during their earnest advance.

This trio of books is among the best reads I've ever had of men journeying into the unknown, discovering the best in themselves, and holding to the notion that perseverance will ultimately endure.

I loved the book, a satisfying completion to a wonderful tale.

The narrative picks up in June 1805, after a night of rain "but it cleared off and became a fine day." By the end of that year when the expedition next wintered near modern day Astoria, OR, the expedition would face rains almost constantly, having a dozen or so dry days all winter, and of those only half provided sunshine.

This year is the most difficult of the expedition (or rather the period covered by this volume). The team meets its greatest hardships, not least of which is choosing the best overland route when the Missouri is no longer navigable. The correct choice (and the correct choice was made) is vital to preserving the goodwill of the men and the success of the expedition. Grizzly bears continue to harass the men (many hunters are treed), the mosquitoes become horribly bothersome, and when game becomes scarce, they trade for horses, sometimes killing the colts for food; elsewhere they trade to feed upon dogs, at first a meat loathsome to the men, but after adaptation and long usage, it becomes a favorite food, as the expedition trades for that article particularly. Many times plant roots and dried fish served as the only food for days on end, which made the men sick, who were so drenched with rain (they built their winter cabins in the rain), that many were too sick to participate in the necessary subsistence.

Here Sacajawea and her husband are saved from drowning by the vigilance of Captain Clark.

This volume provides many instances of bighorn and behavior, pronghorn antelope and behavior, and of course grizzly bears. This wonderful volume of harrowing escapes, exciting scenes of the endurance of man, and the wonderful rewards from severe hardships ends in March 1806, just before the expedition evacuates Fort Clatsop on the Pacific Coast.

A wonderful read for early American exploration, and an excellent resource for the American wilderness at the beginning of the 19th century.

William Braznell's An Airman's Odyssey is the engaging and informative story of the airline industry's early years and the pioneer airman who launched commercial air travel and transportation. The critically important beginnings with the awarding of the first air mail contracts in 1925 to the infamous "Airline Spoils Scandals" of 1934 are chronicled, as is the advent of the DC-3, America's first great passenger airship; the tremendous advances in aviation technology, and the rapid development of aviation technology following World War II; as well as the reasons American aircraft manufacturers and airlines lagged so far behind the British and the French in ushering in the Jet Age. Threaded throughout this remarkable history is William Braznell's personal story beginning with his fledgling air mail pilot's education in aerial survival and subsequent progress up the ranks to chief pilot, and ultimately to vice president and director of American Airlines' six-thousand-man flight department. An Airman's Odyssey is a "must" for aviation enthusiasts and students of American domestic and civilian aviation history.

The combination of this book's lucid prose with its fascinating photos, drawings, technical information, newspaper accounts, and personal stories make for a compelling history of early American aviation. The stories of the legendary as well as the unsung pioneers are full of adventure and more than a little humor. Walt Braznell's own life and career are models of an American Dream, and the other characters and events woven into the story bring an exciting period of American history to life. It's an obvious choice for aviation enthusiasts, but it also has a wide appeal as an entertaining and informative biography and history.

Most neurosurgeons and astrophysicists are busy constructing the future. Some of these overacheivers suffer from a mild mental disorder called hypergraphia and compulsively write stuff down. Fortunately Dr. William Clark suffers from hypergraphia and we benefit hugely because we can look into his mind by reading his books, and what a view it is. This book is essentially about mammalian immunology. Immunology is an odd subject to get because its quite dynamic, meaning its operation is determined by a wide array of parts. Clark's book is short, sweet and to the point. He covers the basics and proceeds with case studies that bring the lay reader close to his profession without having to spend years in postdoc research doing so. His opening account of the rancerous competition between France's Louis Pasteur and Germany's Robert Koch is fantastic reading for the bonified dork. Most interestingly, Clark primes us with some genetic engineering technique in his marvelous description of SCID, severe combined immune deficiency, and its concomitant 'magic bullet' cure based on the gene therapy associated with a monogenetic disorder; interesting stuff here. His coverage of autoimmune disorders alone makes this brief, action packed essay worth the price. Clark makes the mind numbing world of immunology a little bit friendlier here.

This is a fantastic book if you want to begin to know how your body and immune system work. From colds to cancer, It simplified and helped me to know how to begin the course of a natural cure. It put years of study about disease in real focus.

This is the kind of book cherished by all lovers of frontier history--historical researchers and genealogists, as well as those who simply love to read about it. Not just a book of letters, but a lusciously annotated treasure chest of biographical information, and not just on the Clarks, but on the frame of frontier history which surrounded them.

The insights on William Clark and York are indeed interesting, but biographical sketches in the notes reveal arcane facts on Daniel Boone, General James Wilkinson, Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and many others less known but equally interesting. Mr. Holmberg sometimes indulges in speculation and tentative assertions, but the demarcation between fact and inference is always clear.

The work is handsomely constructed, the font easy to read, the notes easy to follow. A complete bibliography is provided along with a complete index. All and all, a pleasure to peruse, a delight to own.

Mr. Holmberg's new forthcoming edition of letters discovered
in an old Louisville, Kentucky estate some two decades ago
will shed new light on many long unanswered questions regarding the life of William Clark, of Lewis and Clark Expedition fame.
Aside from being an archivist at Kentucky's prestigious Filson
Club which holds its own substantial William Clark collection,
Holmberg is himself an expert Lewis and Clark enthusiast who brings passion, intelligence, clarity and understanding to interpretation of these significant letters. I have been privileged to hear the lectures of Mr. Holmberg at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lewis and Clark Training Academies, and without a doubt this book and its letters give valuable
insight into the life of York, William Clark's slave and
fellow expedition member, the winter at Fort Mandan, William Clark's relationship with his wife, Julia, and his ongoing honest and open, although often grossly misspelled, literary discourse with his brother Jonathan. Readers of Ambrose's UNDAUNTED COURAGE will revel in this book as it gives further insight into the character of William Clark, who often gets
far less press coverage than the colorful figure of
Meriwether Lewis. Every Lewis and Clark enthusiast should
be sitting on the front porch swing awaiting the VERY MOMENT when the mailman delivers this upcoming Amazon offering. The fact that these unknown letters survived AT ALL is amazing. The added scholarship and editing added to the project by
one so respected in the field as Jim Holmberg makes the prospect of this literary work almost too grand to imagine.

Discovery of the letters of William Clark is as significant
as finding an undiscovered portrait of Lincoln. We knew the
man before the discovery, but now we will know him better!

Fascinating personal day-by-day account of the journey of Lewis and Clark through the Louisiana Territory. As you read, you feel yourself slowly seeing the American west as it was seen by those who first wrote of its magnificence, the customs of the natives, the wildlife, and climate. You see it for what it was, and for its possibilities. This edition has been edited from the individual journals of both Lewis and Clark and some of the others. It has been made more compact by putting in only passages that tell the story, but with no sentence restructuring or spelling corrections. Sometimes this requires you to figure the meaning out, but is never a big problem. The chapter length was perfect for reading a chapter a day which means 33 days. The only bad chapter was 31, which was a summary of one leg lifted from DeVoto's The Course of Empire, which I felt was harder to understand than the journals. The appendix includes Jefferson's Instructions, list of personnel, and specimens returned.

There is not much new that I can add which has not already been said of the Journals. Simply put, fantastic! I have read some excellent books regarding the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but reading the actual journals themselves makes one feel as though they are right there alongside them. Names such as John Colter, the Fields brothers, George Drouillard, Peter Cruzatte, Touissant Charbonneau and his wife Sacajawea, John Ordway, George Shannon, and many of the others in the journal become so familiar, it's as if the reader is a "fly on the saddle" (so to speak) during the entire expedition. Every chapter, every leg of the journey, has something relating to the hardships, sacrifices, conjectures, speculations, survival strategies, Indian confrontations and appropriate manners of behavior, along with wonderful descriptions of landforms, Indian culture, animals, plants, climate, etc. A truly gripping, meaningful look at early western U.S. exploration. DeVoto's introduction and editing is extremely well done.

This is an excellent book. It is hard to imagine the hardship these men had to endure on their trip across the nation, but by reading this book you get some kind of idea. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is even slightly intrested in the history of the Lewis and Clark expedition. This book tells it exactly how it happened, from the men who were there. I strongly believe that books like these should be required reading in schools....who knows what this country would be like today had it not been for those brave men.

Although I'm not much of a history buff, I read this book at the advice of a friend. By the end of the first chapter I was hooked. Thom brings the adventures of the Clark family to life. The book is accurate from a historical perspective and leaves the reader with a new appreciation of the courage and sacrifice behind our country's westward expansion. A must read.

This is the best novel of Revolutionary American history I have ever read. The story of the Clark family is incredible, especially that of two particular sons, George and William. Perhaps the main theme of this book is leadership. George Rogers Clark was a phenomenal leader. He almost single-handedly won the western frontier during the Revolution. In the end, he was ruined rather than rewarded, for his efforts. As his inner fire dies, it is momentarily rekindled by his young brother, who departs to co-lead the greatest adventure in American History. Thom's depiction of George's brutal marches on Kaskaskia and Vincennes, and the Journey of the Corps of Discovery, is a masterwork.

I have always enjoyed American history,but this novel as you read it makes it seem as if you are there with the Clarks through good and bad times both. I laughed alot and was at times to the point of almost tears throughout the book. If you are interested in American history this is a must read about the opening of the frontiers during and after the revolutionary war. You will not be disappointed.

I enjoyed this book completely...it really gave me a sense of the human experience of the journey, and made me appreciate just what an incredible accomplishment it was. The illustrations really add to the enjoyment of the book, as do the excerpts from the journals of several of the men. I also liked the background information on what goals were actually behind the exploration and how they worked to meet those goals. There's only one reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars, and that's because it lacks a good map to help understand where they were during some of the events described. But that can be found in other works, and this really is a good introducion to Lewis and Clark...it's a relatively easy read but full of interesting facts and adventures.

I give high praise to this book and this reading. You will learn so much about the journey, and you'll feel the cold of the winters and the wonderment of their adventures. Taken from their actual journals, this book is even better than "Undaunted Courage". p.s. the unabridged is even better.

This audio is a great telling of this amazing journey. Any history buff should order this and play it over and over. The facts of the ride and the aftermath of the characters will leave you in awe.

A more detailed view of Lewis and Clark's relations and attitudes toward the Indians. Interesting insight into Sacagawea's true role within the Corp of Discovery. A must read for any Lewis and Clark/Western history buff.

AS an author of a Lewis and Clark book, I can appreciate the research involved in writing a good book. Dr. Ronda has written the definitive book for understanding the interactions between The Corps of Discovery and the various Indian nations they encountered. He explains the politics behind the numerous interactions, some friendly others very contentious. For a Lewis and Clark buff, this is a MUST HAVE addition to their collection.
I totally enjoyed this book!

This book is a great follow up to Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage, and builds on his great synopsis of the journey. Readers will gain a greater appreciation of the rich Native American cultures that were instrumental in the success of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. After reading this book you will walk away with a renewed sense of awe regarding the journey, and a new found respect for a culture that has been all but destroyed by the "white man's progress". An excellent, gripping, insightful and exciting read. Involves some advanced terms and concepts that add flavor to a general understanding of this most fascinating period of 19th Century American Histroy.

First off, contrary to earlier reviewers, this book has NOTHING to do with the Lewis and Clark expedition. Out of the 350 pages in the book, they might be mentioned a half dozen times and one might want to get Lavender's "The Way to the Western Sea," if interested on Meriweather and William's trip.
Instead, "Let me Be Free," is on the Nez Perce tribe which lived in Oregon's Wallowa Valley until it was forced from the land in the 1860's. This is a great book if the reader is interested in a century's worth of history about the tribe but I'd suggest something else if the intent on reading this is solely learning about Chief Joseph's tragic flight from the US military in 1877.
I originally got into Lavender's works after reading his fantastic book, "Bents' Fort" which is about the trading family of William Bent in SE Colorado. I had no interest in the subject but was recommended the book and I fell fully immersed into it because of Lavender's detailed writing-style and ability to create real identities to the historical characters instead of just giving names and dates. He has the same writing style in "Let Me Be Free," and will never shy from a unimportant but lighthearted side story. The writing is anything but dry.
The first half of LMBF is on how the tribe lived and existed, its neighbors, and its relations with the first whites to reach Oregon. Lavender has a contentious understanding of the western Native American tribes and writes in a fair and unbiased reader-friendly style and includes the correct names and terms the Nez Perce (Nimipu) used.
The last 100 pages cover Chief Joseph's (Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kehht's) flight and includes a fantastic map in the front for the reader to follow the tribe along on its failed march to freedom.
The book fails to get five stars from me because I was most interested in the Nez Perce march and it just took too long to finally reach that subject in the book. It reminded me of "Undaunted Courage," (Ambrose's book on Meriweather Lewis) where there is no much buildup to the expedition that once the reader finally reaches it in the book, it falls a bit flat. However, if anyone is interested on the Nez Perce tribe itself, you won't find a better book. Any Western Oregon historians would also immensely enjoy this work.

David Lavender just may have written the definitive history of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It is a wonderfully wrought narrative, capturing the full width and breadth of this incredible journey. Lavender's sardonic tongue deflates many of the myths surrounding the "voyage of discovery," noting that for the most part this was a well-trodden path. The only actual "discovery" was that of linking the Missouri to the Columbia. However, this makes it no less an adventure.

He downplays the significance of Sacagewea. For the most part she was little used on this voyage. Her one major contribution was helping to secure horses for the great fording of the Bitteroot Mountains. Still, Lavender lavishes much attention on her and her son, which it seems that William Clark did as well. Her presence seemed to secure safe passage during their final leg down the Columbia River, as it made the expedition team seem less war-like.

Lavender also provides the background for the voyage, detailing President Jefferson's dream to establish an American Northwest Passage, linking one ocean to another. Lavender probes the seemingly paternal relationship between Jefferson and Lewis, and how Jefferson was able to win Congress over to a third attempt to cross the continent, despite questions regarding Lewis' qualifications. Jefferson personally trained Lewis for the expedition and provided added tutelage in the form of the leading lights of American science. Like a devoted son, Lewis made every effort to carry out the mission, which Jefferson sponsored, even when it seemed foolhardy to do so.

For those who haven't travelled this route before, you will be in good hands with David Lavender. For those who have, I think you will marvel at how masterful a job Lavender does in recording the events, giving the best rounded version of the "voyage of discovery" that I have read.

Originally subtitled "the U.S. Army's War Against Seven Hundred Nez Perce Men,Women, and Children," this moving history documents the brutal persecution of a small Northwestern tribe. Western historian David lavender never hides his sympathy in this powerful chronicle of Chief Joseph's "flight toward freedom" in 1877 to avoid reservation life. This is a really sad story filled with overlooked possibilities for compromise, understanding, and tolerance. Lavender considers the Nex Perce War the final betrayal of a long and once-promising relationship between white explorers, fur trappers, Christian missionairies, and the tribe. Chief Old Joseph, father of the more famous Chief Joseph, even converted to Christianity for both spiritual and practical reasons. Peaceful coexistence and friendship with the new settlers was his policy. Greed, cultural intolerance, and racial hatred eventually doomed those possibilities for Nez Perce. Although Chief Joseph developed a reputation as an Indian Napeleon for his brilliant fighting tactics, Lavender emphasizes that Chief Joseph continually sought to avoid war. Chief Joseph's simple hope was to have a reservation that would allow his people to live in their traditional land and stay close to his father's grave in Wallowa Valley, Oregon. The United States military commanders of that time, however, demanded the tribe move. This compelling account of the Nez Perce's failed 1700 mile exodus to join Sitting Bull in Canada captures the cruelty, mindlessness, and viciousness of 19th century America's expansionist policies. Chief Joseph's eloquent words, especially when surrending after a blizzard just a few miles south of the Canadian border, accents the pain and injustice.